Cat barf all over the newly laundered blankets at 5AM...I was so angry at Mar for a second then felt bad...I am off to go buy a emergency blanket because getting to the laundromat is not going to happen till Sunday...

The radiator in my living room has sprung a leak. I wasn't in the room at the time so it was gushing water for at least ten minutes before I found it. I have put duct tape over the hole, which hasn't stopped the leak but at least means it is gushing downwards now so I can put a bowl underneath, rather than spouting out in to the living room. The emergency plumber said he will be here "within two hours" which I suppose is good, but I seriously could do without this right now.

_________________Everyone turns into Boo Radley, if they live long enough ~ seitanicversesThere are as many ways to live as there are humans in the world ~ SchwaGrrrl

My friend did offer to let me borrow her cat. Not sure he's much of a mouser, but I'm sure the smell would help for a while. Maybe I'll invite her over and her cat.

This may sound kinda gross, but apparently just having some used cat litter around can be enough of a smell to deter them. Doesn't have to be "dirty", but has to be out of the litter box they've already used, not just fresh out of the bag. If you can keep it somewhere relatively inconspicuous near their entry points that might help.

_________________She eats a paleo diet, just like the whiskey-and-bacon-eating australopithecans before her. - annak

I'm starting to panic about the next step in Wilson's immigration process. Like, shortness of breath, chest tightness, sleeplessness--panic! I'm really trying to stay optimistic and brave, but I don't know what I'll do if he isn't able to come back. He's my best friend and like, the ultimate partner to me. We complement each other just right. Every couple days I feel like I'm just going to completely lose my shiitake. I pull it together, but I'm not sure how much longer I can deal with the strain.

ETA: I mean, I'll deal with it as long as it takes. I just needed to vent.

You're doing so awesome dealing with it for as long as you have. Being apart from your love is super difficult! My 2c is when you start panicking just remind yourself that you'll have him in your life no matter what. I can tell that the two of your are very much in love, there's always a way, it just might not be the ideal #1 way! There's always other countries... ;)

I'm so done with my job. Don't know how to even begin to look for a new one, been at this one for 17 years. New boss every couple of years, and they're getting worse. Cutting hours but not the work. Basically dipshit co-workers who do whatever they want because, really, what's the punishment/deterrent? A stern talking to? Gahhh. Can't afford to quit without new job, probably can't find one at near the wage, but then again, hopefully it wouldn't have to be in sucky retail.

Where are the jobs with the cubicle in the basement that I don't have to talk to another human? I need that job.

Plus I've been eating crappy for way too long, and feel like a blob. Made of carbs.

My friend did offer to let me borrow her cat. Not sure he's much of a mouser, but I'm sure the smell would help for a while. Maybe I'll invite her over and her cat.

This may sound kinda gross, but apparently just having some used cat litter around can be enough of a smell to deter them. Doesn't have to be "dirty", but has to be out of the litter box they've already used, not just fresh out of the bag. If you can keep it somewhere relatively inconspicuous near their entry points that might help.

Toxoplasmosis (the parasite that makes in unsafe for pregnant women to clean cat litter) can actually attract rodents to cats if they are infected with it, which is pretty neat. Helps the parasite get in to uninfected kitties by eating infected mousies. So, this could help, but you never know.

I'm starting to panic about the next step in Wilson's immigration process. Like, shortness of breath, chest tightness, sleeplessness--panic! I'm really trying to stay optimistic and brave, but I don't know what I'll do if he isn't able to come back. He's my best friend and like, the ultimate partner to me. We complement each other just right. Every couple days I feel like I'm just going to completely lose my shiitake. I pull it together, but I'm not sure how much longer I can deal with the strain.

ETA: I mean, I'll deal with it as long as it takes. I just needed to vent.

You're doing so awesome dealing with it for as long as you have. Being apart from your love is super difficult! My 2c is when you start panicking just remind yourself that you'll have him in your life no matter what. I can tell that the two of your are very much in love, there's always a way, it just might not be the ideal #1 way! There's always other countries... ;)

This made me tear up--thank you so much for your kind words. I will definitely think of that. (Along with Wilson telling me to "helax". No r's in Portuguese.)

_________________I would eat Dr. Cow pocket cheese in a second. I would eat it if you hid it under your hat, or in your backpack, but not if it was in your shoe. That's where I draw the line. -allularpunk

big breath, pittman!!! you'll get through this, you've gotten this far. anxiety isn't going to help teh process. your ducks are in a row (i just typed your dicks are in a row, which is funny enough to repeat but not worth touching with a 10-foot pole). things will work out somehow, maybe it isn't clear just yet, but they will.Also, nothing personal, but just saying: Brazil is infinitely more fun when you're close to civilization. And certain large educational publishing houses have branches here. So if worse comes to worse, I'll build you guys a tepee in my garden and you can make me nog, or something. By which I mean, don't panic just yet.

Thanks, Torque! The best part of freaking out yesterday? I email the lawyer who's helping us a bit, and he said, well, you SHOULD be worried about the waiver. I don't think he means that I should be having chest pains.

And I truly appreciate that. I know we will be able to work something out. I mentioned your city to Wilson, and he said that he's heard it's beautiful! I think he'd want to be closer to his family than that though. Right now my headspace is writing my affidavit for the waiver though, so I'm focusing on reasons I can't live in Brazil. If the waiver is denied, then I know we'll work something out. Wilson's town isn't that bad, actually, but it makes me a sad vegan for a lot of reasons.

_________________I would eat Dr. Cow pocket cheese in a second. I would eat it if you hid it under your hat, or in your backpack, but not if it was in your shoe. That's where I draw the line. -allularpunk

I don't think it's off the table, linanil. I know he doesn't want to live in Rio, but I think we could reach a compromise for a moderate-sized city. We both just really, really want to be able to live together in the US. He doesn't feel like he can make any money there, and everything is so expensive. Plus, I think he just likes Boston. I do, I know. I'm also concerned about being that far away from my dad more than anything. He would definitely travel to Brazil if I were there, but it'd be a really hard trip on him (he's 70 and has some different health problems).

_________________I would eat Dr. Cow pocket cheese in a second. I would eat it if you hid it under your hat, or in your backpack, but not if it was in your shoe. That's where I draw the line. -allularpunk

We were woken up at 3 a.m. by a woman screaming, which turned out to be our downstairs neighbor, and we had to call the police because it sounded like it was getting violent. It appears everything has calmed down. Now I'm in a funk because the situation triggered some pretty awful memories for me.

We both just really, really want to be able to live together in the US. .

well since you're thinking about your affadavit let me say this: my acquaintance's husband had a criminal record, and was just granted his waiver. i did the translation for his application affadavits, and i'll hold my opinion except to just give you the eyebrow- if this guy did it, Wilson should be able to as well.big hug. we can't even talk about this subject at home because i also get the chest pains/anxiety shiitakes etc.

Veg_Eric, I've just replied to your PM. The radiator is very old and probably needs replacing, and luckily a friend of a friend who is a plumber is going to do it for me for a lot less money than I feared. But thank you so much for taking the time to post, I appreciate it.

_________________Everyone turns into Boo Radley, if they live long enough ~ seitanicversesThere are as many ways to live as there are humans in the world ~ SchwaGrrrl

This is why I dislike teaching and am so over these kids. They don't give a crepe, why should I?

The kids always complain that my tests are hard and they fail them because they aren't multiple choice.

Actually, they fail because they a) skip class b) refuse to do work or study c) think school is a waste of their time and d) are too damn lazy to read questions and follow simple directions. On the last quiz, I wrote "don't forget the questions on the back!!!" in bold 24 point font at the bottom of the page. I also told them to do the back. 1/3 didn't do the back, so I reminded the class to do the back. Still, ones I didn't check didn't do the back.

I always have a fair number of perfect scores. Kids who come to class and do work never have below a solid C in my class.

I had a bonus question worth half a letter grade that simply asked them to describe yesterday's weather. Most left it blank because it wasnt required. When I tried to get early finishers to go back and do it, they said they didn't want to do it.

Anyway, here is why I'm upset now. As a fun freebie, I added a multiple choice question since they always ask. The question was: where is the air warmer? Choices: north pole, arctic circle, south pole, equator. A THIRD OF MY STUDENTS MISSED THIS QUESTION. Keep in my that we just finished a mapping unit that discussed things like the equator, the poles, and where most sunlight hits.

I can't even. I need to get drunk to keep grading.

What is it with these kids? Why? Last year, I had kids with some rough life stories and lots of responsibility, so they struggled with school. This year, I have kids who sleep in class because they stayed up all night texting friends and playing games (they freely admit this). Disciplinary action doesn't help because they don't care. My class isn't one most need to graduate, so they are happy to take an F if it means not doing anything.

_________________"This is the creepiest post ever if you don't know who Molly is." -Fee"a vegan death match sounds like something where we all end up hugging." -LisaPunk

I feel pretty uncomfortable for a few reasons but the main one is that Im at a show and a guy I know is messing about with a girl whose boyfriend is also here while he's out of sight. Nothing overt but obviously enough for me (and probably others too) to see whats happening.

My SF roommate's cancer is back, and she wrote me today that she likely won't be around for my wedding in March. She doesn't want to go through chemo/radiation again. She is one of my top five favourite people in the world. Her email was optimistic, because she was trying to save me from being sad, and it is heartbreaking. fork cancer.